Governor actuated switch



H. O. WILLIAMS GOVERNOR ACTUATED SWITCH Jan. 26, 1943.

Filed June l2, 1941 INVENTOR Ha/Ca 0. W///NS.

Patented Jan. 26, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT AOFFICE GOVERNOR. ACIUATEDl SWITCH Harry O. Williams, Kansas City, Mo.

Application June 12, 1941, Serial No. 397,688

(Cl. L200-80) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a governor actuated switch particularly adapted for operating speed indicating signals on a motor vehicle, for automatically limiting speed of a vehicle to a predetermined maximum, or for other purposes where it 'is desired to control mechanism responsive to speed of a vehicle.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a governor actuated switch which is of simple, inexpensive construction; to provide a governor actuated switch with adjustable contacts whereb-y circuits may be opened and closed at any predetermined speed; and to provide a governor actuated switch that may be readily synchronized with the speedometer of a vehicle in which the switch is installed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a governor actuated switch that may be readily sealed to prevent tampering with or changing of the switch contacts.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, l have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a governor actuated switch constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the governor actuated switch,

Fig. 3 is a similar section taken at right angles f to the section illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the contact supports showing one Contact in position on the support and another removed therefrom and shown in spaced relation therewith.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates a governor actuated switch constructed in accordance with the present invention, and which includes a housing 2 comprising a pair of interconnected sections 3 and 4. The section 3 of the housing is of substantially cup shape and has an end wall 5 rounding into a curved circumferential wall 6 which terminates in an inwardly extending flange '1. The wall 5 has an axial hub1ike portion 8, having an in ternal bearing supporting recess 9 opening to the interior of the housing section for receiving an antifriction bearing I provided with an outer race II snugly engaged in the recess 9. The hub-like portion 8 also has a reduced exteriorly threaded end I2 for mounting the coupling I3 of a flexible drive shaft sheath I4. The hublikeportion 8 is provided with an axial open bore l to accommodate the outer end of the governor shaft later described.

The section 4 of the housing is of substantially cylindrical form and has a diskdike end wall i6 and a circumferential wall Il which is provided with a laterally extending annular flange Ill cooperating with the flange I of the section 3, The wall IT projects beyond the flange l and into interfitting relation with the iiange 'I. The flanges I3 and l are provided with registering openings I 9 and 2S to pass fastening devices, such as cap-screws 2l, for securing the sections together as shown in Fig. 3. To facilitate assembly, the flange 'I may carry a pilot pin or dowel 22 which is adapted to engage in an opening 23 of the iiange I8.

The wall I 'I is provided on opposite diametrical sides thereof with openings 24 and 25 through which access is had to the switch mechanism later described, upon removalof a band 25 that is seated in a circumferential recess 2l formed in the outer face of the wall I'I. The ends of the band are notched, as at 23 Fig. l, so that each end terminates in a tongue 2E) received in the notches 28 at the opposite end and each tongue is provided with an opening 30 engaging over a post 3|. The posts 3l are threaded into suitable openings in the wall I'I and have heads 32Y clamping the ends of the band. The heads are provided with openings 33 through which a wirelike strand 34 may be passed and the ends secured with a seal 35.

The end wall I 6 has an axial recess 35 registering with the recess 9 for mounting the outer race 37 of an antifriction bearing 38. The end wall I6 may be provided on its outer face with an exteriorly threaded neck 39 having a bore 40 therethrough which is closed by a threaded cap 4I.

The governor mechanism includes a shaft 42 having a head 43 rotatable within the bore I5 and adapted for connection with the iiexible drive shaft 44 enclosed in the sheath I4 previously referred to. Mounted in an annular groove 45 of the shaft 42 is an inner race 46 of the antifriction bearing It. -The opposite end of the shaft has a reduced end 41 forming a shoulder 43 against which the inner race 49 of the antifriction bearing 38 is retained by the head of a cap-screw 59. The shaft is provided with a shoulder 5I spaced inwardly from the bearing I0 and with a facing shoulder 52 spaced inwardly from the bearing 3l to form stops for a switch member 53 that is slidable thereon. Fixed to the shaft, adjacent the bearing IU, isa

collar 54 having laterally extending ears 55 to which governor arms 56 are connected by pins 51. Slidable on the reduced portion of the shaft is a similar collar 48 having ears 59 to which governor arms 60 are connected by pins 6I. The governor arms 59 and 60 are pivotally connected by pins 52 and fixed to the pins are governor weights 53. Sleeved on the shaft intermediate the collars and having one end bearing against the collar 54 and the other end against the collar 53 is a coil spring 64 urging the collars apart and retaining the governor weights in collapsed position when the shaft is idle. Sleeved on the reduced portion of the shaft, and threaded into a socket 65 of the collar 58, is a sleeve 65 mounting an insulatingr block 61, the sleeve 65 having a flanged head 68 engaging the opposite end of the block to clamp securely the block to the collar 58 so that when the shaft is rotated and the governor is actuated the insulating block 62 is moved along the shaft responsive to centrifugal throw of the governor weights.

Fixed to the upper and lower sides of the block are plates 69 and 10 having laterally extending ngers 'H and 12 for the upper plate 69 and 13 and 14 for the lower plate 10. The plates are secured to the blocks by screws 15 as shown in Fig. 2. The fingers are slidable along contact supports 16 and 11 which are best illustrated in Fig. 5. Each contact support is formed of insulating material and includes a shank 13 that is anchored in an opening 19 in the disk-like wall i6 of the housing section 4 as best shown in Fig. 2. The contact supports have heads 85 forming a shoulder with the shanks i8 to enga-ge against the inner face of the end wall l5, as best shown in Fig. 2, when the fastening devices are threaded into threaded sockets 6l formed in the ends of the Shanks. The heads 89 are of substantially yoke shape and have spaced portions 82 extending parallel with the governor shaft and forming tracks engaged by the lingers of the switch plates.

The facing sides of the respective contact supports are provided with rabbet grooves 83 and 64, and the space therebetween forms slots 35 to mount the contacts 86. The contacts 86 include threaded shanks 81 slidable in the slots 85 and have heads 89 having flanges 90 and contact fingers 91 engaging in the respective rabbet grooves as shown in Fig. 5. The contacts are retained in a selected xed position by nuts 92 threaded on the Shanks 81 to draw the heads in clamping engagement with the contact supports. The flanges 90 vof the contact heads are substantially the full width of the heads but the fingers 9| are relatively narrow to be engaged by the lingers 1| and 12 of the upper plate. The ngers of the lower plate are provided with bosses 93 engageable with the under face of the tracks so that the plate is retained out of contact with the contacts as shown in Fig. 3.

The device may be provided with any desired number of contacts, depending upon the circuits to be actuated by the switch. In the illustrated instance four contacts are shown, two being positioned on each support. The shanks of the contacts are connected with conductors 94 which extend through armoured sheets 95 xed in the wall I6 to connect with the signals or the like energized by the governor switch.

Circuit is completed through the contacts by connecting the upper switch plate 69 with a.

flexible conductor 96 having its opposite end connected with a binding post 91 insulatably carried in the wall I6 of .the housing, as best shown in Fig. 3. In some instances it may be desirable to provide a supplementary spring 98 to cooperate with the governbr spring. This spring has one end connected with the housing and its opposite end secured to the insulating block 61 as shown in Fig. 3.

The governor switch may be mounted on a vehicle in any convenient manner, for example, by means of ears 99 extending laterally from the housing section 3.

In assembling the device, the governor, governor spring, switch block and contact plates are all assembled on the governor shaft including the antifriction bearings. The shaft assembly is then inserted so that the head 41 of the shaft passes through the bore I5 and the antifriction bearing l0 into the recess 9. The contact supports 15 are then assembled in 'the other housing section and the housing sections are placed in juxtaposition so that the contact fingers of the switch are in position to engage the respective contact supports 15 and the antifriction bearing 38 engages in the recess 35. The fastening devices 2| are then applied to secure the sections of the housing together and retain the governor shaft assembly therein. The leads are made to the respective contacts and the contacts are adjusted along the supports so that circuit is closed at any desired operating speed of the shaft. After assembly, the governor switch is mounted on the vehicle in any convenient position, preferably adjacent the speedometer drive shaft connection where the connection may be connected with the head 43 of the governor shaft 44. The cover band 28 may then be applied to close the openings in the housing section 4 and the ends secured by the fastening devices 35. The sealing strand 34 and seal 35 are then applied to prevent unauthorized tampering with the setting of the switch Contacts. When the governor switch is in operation the balls swing outwardly proportional to the rotational speed of the shaft to move the switch head retractively along the contact supports successively making and breaking circuit through the contacts and fingers of the upper switch plate.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a governor actuated sudtch which is of simple and inexpensive construction and well adapted for controlling signal circuits energizing speed indicating signals, the ignition circuit, or other devices to be actuated responsive to predetermined speeds of the vehicle.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

.1. A device of the character described including, a housing having axially aligned bearing supporting portions, a governor assembly in said housing including a shaft, bearings mounting opposite ends of said shaft in said bearing supporting portions, a contact support having a slot extending parallel with the axis of the shaft and having fixed mounting in said housing, contacts having Shanks extending through the slot land arranged for adjustment of the contacts on the vsupport relatively to the governor, and a switch member having sliding support on said shaft and operative connection with said governor to engage said contact.

2. A device of the character described including, a housing having axially aligned bearing supporting portions, a governor assembly in said housing including a shaft, bearings mounting opposite ends of said shaft in said bearing supporting portions, a pair of contact supports fixed in said housing and having slots extending parallel with the axis -of the shaft, lcontacts havinfr shanks extending through the slots and arranged for adjustment of the contacts on said supports, and a switch member having laterally extending fingers adapted to engage said contacts and having connection with the governor.

3. A device of the character described including, a housing comprising a pair of interengag-ed sections, each having axially aligned bearing recesses, a governor assembly in said housing including a shaft, bearings fixed to opposite ends of said shaft and engaged in said bearing recesses, a pair of contact supports fixed to one of said sections and arranged so that one is disposed at one side of the shaft and the other at the opposite side, contacts arranged for adjustment on said supports in a direction parallel with the axis of the shaft, a switch member slidably supported by said shaft and having laterally extending fingers adapted to engage said contacts, and means for connecting the switch member with the governor.

4. A device of the character described including, a housing, a shaft rotatably supported in the housing, a governor on the shaft, an insulating member slidable on the shaft and having connection with the governor, a contact support located at one side of said shaft, contacts on said support land having finger engaging portions at one side of the contact support, a c ontact finger extending from the insulating member and bearing upon the Contact support to engage said finger engaging portions, and a finger carried by the insulating member and having bearing engagement upon the opposite side of the support to equalize -any thrust of the contact finger tending to interfere with movement of the insulating member.

5. A device of the character described including, a housing, a shaft rotatably supported in the housing, a governor on the shaft, an insulating member slidable on the shaft and having connection with the governor, contact supports on opposite sides of said shaft, contacts on said supports and having finger engaging portions at one l side of the supports, contact fingers extending from the insulating member to engage said finger engaging portions, and means carried by the insulating member and arranged to act in opposition to thrusts effected by the contact fingers for maintaining freedom of movement of the insulating member on the shaft.

6. A device of the character described including, a. housing, a shaft rotatably supported in the housing, a governor on the shaft, an insulating member slidable on the shaft and having connection with the governor, contact supports on opposite sides of said shaft, contacts on said supports, contact fingers carried by the insulating member and having spring action to engage one side of said contact supports for closing circuits through said contacts, and similar fingers engaging the other side of said supports and having similar spring action to retain the contact fingers in sliding engagement with said contacts and the insulating member freely slidable on the shaft.

7. A device of the character described including, a housing comprising a pair of interengaged sections, each having axially aligned bearing recesses, a governor assembly in said housing including a shaft, bearings fixed to opposite ends of said shaft and engaged in said bearing recesses, contact supports fixed to one of said sections on the respective sides of said shaft and having slotted portions extending parallel with said shaft, contacts having Shanks positioned in said slots, nuts on said shanks to cooperate with said heads of said contacts to retain the contacts in selected position on the supports, and a switch member having laterally extending fingers adapted to engage said `contacts and having connection with the governor.

8. A device of the character described including, a housing having axially aligned bearing supporting portions, a governor assembly in said housing including a shaft, bearings mounting opposite ends of the shaft in said bearing supporting portions, a contact support carried by the housing in parallel relation with the shaft having a slot and grooves disposed on opposite sides of the slot, contacts having head portions provided with finger engaging portions mounted in said grooves and having vShanks extending through said slot, means fixing the Shanks in predetermined position in the slot, a slide member on the shaft, spring fingers on the slide member engaging the finger engaging portions of the contacts, and means connecting the slide member with the governor assembly.

HARRY O. WILLIAMS. 

